Staten Island Advance/Hilton Flores"We need to focus on what the teachers are doing now," Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott said in response to the releasing of individual teachers' grades.

Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott expressed his concerns today about the newly released teacher rankings after speaking at First Central Baptist Church in Stapleton.

Walcott used the words "limited" and "old" to describe the data and warned it shouldn't be used to "denigrate" or "stereotype" teachers because of it.

While the basic information has been public for a while, he took issue with the fact that there now are names attached to statistics which don't take into account any recent and potentially positive changes in teacher performance.

"We need to focus on what the teachers are doing now," Walcott said.

He also was concerned about sensational headlines and other media accounts that don't reflect the depth and breadth of the statistics.

"It's a lot of rich, complex information," Walcott said, adding that it can't be reduced to "a sound bite."

He said release of the information is a good thing if it stimulates discussion and educates the public. Toward that end, Walcott wants principals to have meetings with parents and would like to have forums throughout the city.

Speaking at the sixth annual Staten Island Black History Town Hall Forum hosted by Rev. Dr. Demetrius Carolina, Walcott stressed that education is the key to success for the 1.1 million students in the city public schools.

He also encouraged attendees to create their own businesses and to become employers in their communities.

Walcott praised City Councilwoman Debi Rose, noting they worked together when he was head of the New York Urban League.

"Debi is a fantastic person," Walcott said. "Debi's heart is always out there for all of us."

David Banks, president/CEO of the Eagle Academy Foundation, spoke about the all-boy schools in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and soon to be in Newark. More than 90 percent of the graduates of the schools, intended to uplift the academic achievement of youth black and Latino males, go on to college. In contrast, only about half of African-American males nationwide graduate from high school.

While 84 percent of the NBA and close to 67 percent of NFL players are African-American males, only 1 percent of dentists, engineers and doctors are black, Banks said.

"The boys in our community are merely a reflection of failure of adults to provide safe passage," Banks said. "We have dropped the ball with our own children. The new norm is failure."

"If we get involved in our schools there's nothing that we can't accomplish," Thompson said. "Kids need guidance and to know that somebody cares about them. We need to push them."

Ed Josey, president of the NAACP, was among the speakers at the forum where Legacy Awards were given to Evangelist Mamie Daniels, Rev. Yvonne Stradford and Rev. Dr. Mary Frazier. Community Service Awards were given to Curtis Lockhart and Minnie Graham.